Shaken and Stirred
by tha-wanderer
Summary: After the pro-bending championship debacle, Lin and Tenzin decide to invoke Bumi, a prominent non-bender, to turn the tides. He does, but he also brings along his daughter, who turns a few tides of her own. Told in bits and pieces. Bolin/OC
1. Prologue

_a/n: _Newbie here. This is my first story, and it's meant, in my opinion, to be told in bits and pieces. Consequently, most of its chapters will be 500 words or fewer. It centers around an OC. So, just be weary of that, I guess. _Please _review, I need and want feedback.

I love Korra, but I don't own her.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Prologue**

Councilman Tenzin and Chief Lin Bei Fong sit across from each other in her dimly lit office, drinking black tea. The events of the pro-bending championship have shaken them both.

"This is a disaster," mutters Tenzin. He sits his cup down. "The Equalists are obviously growing in power…and ire."

Lin nods. "And it's only going to get worse unless we _do_ something about it."

"But what can we do? I feel that right now any action taken by the council will only stir up more resentment and further divide our people."

"True," Lin concedes. "Still, we must take action. The citizens are divided, yes. One thing remains true—not _all _non-benders are Equalists. We mustn't alienate those people into _becoming _Equalists."

"I agree, Lin," says Tenzin. He thoughtfully strokes his goatee. "But that still begs the question concerning _what_ to do. What can the council do? What can the police force do?"

Lin takes a sip of tea. "We need outside help. Nothing that the council or the police force can do will do, because we're all _benders. _We need…Tenzin, we need your brother. We need Bumi. As a prominent non-bender, he could turn the tides of this burgeoning revolution."

Tenzin nearly spits out his tea. "My broth—what? You want—Bumi—who—I—_what?_"

Lin sighs. "Stop sputtering, Tenzin. Think! Your brother Bumi is just the man we need right now. A _non-bending _general of the United Forces."

Tenzin says nothing in response.

Lin huffs. _Is this bastard _pouting_?_

"Don't you think you could put aside your petty sibling rivalry for the sake of your father's _city, _Tenzin? Or will I need to send the telegram myself?"

Tenzin deflates. "Where would he stay?"

"On Air Temple Island, of course. Where's that characteristic hospitality of the airbenders? He's your _brother, _Tenzin_. Gods._"


	2. Call to Arms

_a/n: _It's me again! My OC makes her debut. Read and review, homies.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Call to Arms**

Bumi engages in his usual morning activities around the Fire Nation palace, which include flirting with the Fire Lady, harassing the former Fire Lord, and general, run of the mill hell raising.

He struts into his office, feeling good after a well-balanced breakfast of bacon, eggs, and _shenanigans. _

He stops in his tracks once he sees it. No. No, no, no. It simply _cannot _be.

That perfectly sealed piece of paper atop the neat stacks of files on his desk.

"_Zahra!"_

Shortly, his teenaged daughter ambles in, still in her sleeping clothes, bleary-eyed and peeved. "Dad," she practically growls. "I stayed up until two this morning organizing your study for you. I used _labels_. _Don't you _dare_ tell me you can't find anything…_"

She has been well on her way to resenting her position as the official un-official secretary of Commander Bumi for a while.

"It's not that," Bumi responds, although he makes sure to store the label thing in his memory for future reference. "It's _that,_" he points a shaking finger to the rolled up monstrosity.

She narrows her eyes, "Dad, it's a telegram. I know you're old, but you're not that old." She picks it up. "Oh, look at that," she says pleasantly as she notices the addresser, "It's from Uncle Tenzin."

"That's just it!" exclaims Bumi. "My brother hasn't sent me a telegram in eleven years. He hates me, you know." He ignores his daughter's half-hearted 'No he doesn't.' "If he's sending this to me_, _it could only mean one thing. Armageddon."

She sees where this is going. "So, Dad. You want me to read it for you?" It's more of a statement than a question.

He mutely nods.

She scoffs as she breaks the seal. "Are you sure you're a brave and powerful commander in the United Forces?"

"Are you sure you want to take that tone of voice with me, young lady?"

Zahra rolls her eyes and peruses the characters of the telegrammed message. Her eyebrows rise as she progresses and she accepts that she will not be getting any additional asleep on this day.

"Dad, we have to go to Republic City."

"I was right, wasn't I? About the Armageddon thing."

"No, drama queen. But we need to get to Uncle Tenzin and Republic City, soon."


	3. Right as Rain I

_a/n: _Heads up, the timeline for this story isn't quite linear. It's assorted. It's…_shaken and stirred. _Oh yeah, I'm corny!

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Right as Rain Pt. 1**

Zahra waits in the lobby as her father, Tenzin, and Lin confer in the chief's office.

She sees a boy, not much older than she, slouched on one of the benches. He has inky hair that's limp and lusterless. Everything about him screams 'Mopey!'

Slowly, she ambles over, and drops down next to him. "Hello," she says.

The boy brings his eyes to hers. His face is pale and his eyes are tired, and she can tell that he hasn't slept in a while. "Come to taunt _ex-_waterbender Tahno?"

He sounds so hateful, yet so resigned at the same time.

Zahra's brown eyes widen, then soften_. He's one of the poor people Uncle Tenzin telegrammed about!_

"Amon took your bending away?" she gasps, despite herself.

"_Yes_, and that's actually old news, little girl. What are you, fresh off the boat?"

Zahra scoffs and thumps the boy on his nose. He blinks. "I'm hardly a little girl. I can't be much younger than _you _are." Then she smiles. "You are, however, correct in one respect. I've just arrived from the Fire Nation," she whispers the last statement conspiratorially.

The boy straightens a bit. "Hm, would've had you pegged as a water tribe gal, myself. But then there's this red outfit to consider," he tugs at her sleeves, "and your eyes aren't blue. So I decided not to assume."

Zahra smiles. "That's very wise of you, Tahno. You are partially correct, though. My grandmother is from the southern water tribe." She holds out her hand. "I'm Zahra, by the way."

They shake hands. "I hail from the foggy swamp tribe, if you've heard of it," he rasps.

"Yes!" Zahra exclaims. "I've heard about it. Never been there. Always wanted to go, though. Please, tell me about it?"

"I will, after you finish telling _me _about your interesting pedigree."

"Sure thing. Hey, it's lunchtime. Shall we go get some food, while we're at it?"


	4. It's All Good I

_a/n: _Read and review, homies.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**It's All Good Pt. 1**

The airbending kids tend to swarm when they greet.

"Uncle Bumi!" Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo are running around in circles around Bumi and his daughter. Bumi starts running too, and an impromptu game of tag starts.

Zahra is unsure whether to laugh at the sight or grab her father by the ear so he could help unpack their belongings.

She decides to just leave things to the White Lotus sentries at Pema's command when she spots a ferry coming in to dock. She figures she'll catch it and pay her favorite police chief a visit. She asks the ferryman for directions and he graciously obliges, additionally giving her a map.

As she tours the city, it occurs to her that it is maybe not the most prudent action to traipse around a large city unaccompanied. She shrugs.

She can't bend, but that doesn't mean she can't _fight _if she has to. She has learned many self-defense strategies, courtesy of her father and grandfather's friends at the Fire Palace.

When she passes through the park and notices the beautiful scenery she makes a mental note to spend more time there if she ever gets the opportunity.

She isn't looking where she's going when she walks straight into a noisy man with a loudspeaker.

"Ouch—_oh, I'm sorry_," She says with cold courtesy after she notices and subsequently glares at the large picture of Amon posted on this man's stand. The man recognizes her ill-concealed spite and decides to call her out.

"Why won't you watch where you're going, _bender_?" he shouts into his loudspeaker, nearly blowing her ears out. He turns to his sizable audience, and continues: "Benders oppress with every opportunity! Down with benders!" the audience roars in agreement and suddenly forty eyes are glaring.

Zahra's eyes steel. "You're an idiot. I'm a non-bender, just like you are. But you harass me just because I don't like your ridiculous picture? It seems that the only one doing any oppression here is _you_."

This time, when her shoulder slams into his—hard—she does it on purpose.

She hopes it bruises.

_Bastard._


	5. A Pretty Face

_a/n: _Bolin makes an appearance, finally! As do Korra, Mako, and Asami. And Mai (kind of), too!

_Shaken and Stirred_

**A Pretty Face**

"Um, I have to go," stammers Korra, "I—uh, just forgot, I have to go airsit—er, babybend the airsitters!" She practically runs out of the door, but not before leveling a confused Zahra with a look that clearly said, 'Don't say anything.'

Zahra rolls her eyes, but abides.

Bolin looks at her, and asks, "Aren't you going with her?"

She covers easily, "Oh, I'd be as much help to her babysitting _those kids_ as I am right now in this spot, I assure you."

Bolin and Asami laugh heartily. Bolin claps her on the shoulder. "You're a _riot_, Zahra."

Mako is…

_Is Mako _glaring _at me?_

"So," He drawls. "Korra's the _a__vatar, _Asami's a genius with machines, and Bolin and I are famous benders. What are you, Zahra? Besides a pretty face."

"I—" Zahra is nonplussed. First, what has she done in the _two hours _she's known this guy for him to have it out for her? Second, how _dare _he insinuate that she is useless? Oh, she'll show him. Sweetly, she asks, "Why don't I _demonstrate _for you?"

...

The Sato mansion has a small gymnasium equipped for training—_seriously, _thinks Zahra, _this girl has _everything—and Mako is pinned by his clothes to one of its walls in nine places.

Asami and Bolin are thunderstruck.

"That was _amazing_!" Bolin exclaims, his green eyes wide with wonder.

Asami strides to Zahra. "You know that's _my boyfriend_, right?" Her face is unreadable for a moment before breaking into a huge grin. "Teach me?"

"I'd _love _to show you how, Asami," she slowly begins to unpin Mako from the wall."You're only going to rip your clothes," she warns as he struggles.

"You could have _killed_ me!" he says angrily.

"Ah, but I _didn't_. I didn't poke a hole in your precious scarf, either."

"Hn," Mako frowns, fuming. _Is that actual smoke coming from his ears?_

"Sorry bro," begins Bolin in a singsong voice. "But you deserved that one. And now we know that Zahra is much _more _than a pretty face." He waggles his eyebrows at her, and she bites back a laugh as she unpins.

Somewhere in the fire nation's capitol palace, the former Fire Lady begins chuckling inexplicably, much to the alarm of her husband and their servants.


	6. Right as Rain II

_a/n_: Eh. This installment makes me a little sad, a little angry. Sangry, if you will.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Right as Rain Pt. 2**

"I just _knew _you knew the avatar," Tahno points at Zahra mock-accusatorially with his chopsticks. "You know, I spoke with her earlier today," he clears his throat. "Did she put you up to this, taking me out here to cheer me up?"

She looks up in surprise, her face filled with noodles. She shakes her head 'no.'

He grimaces at her momentary lapse of table manners.

After she swallows, she speaks. "I asked you to come out with me because it was time for _lunch _and I was _hungry. _And you seemed nice enough."

He barks a short laugh. " 'Nice enough?' You're definitely straight off of the boat, little girl."

"What do you mean? And, please, would you _stop calling me 'little girl?'" _

"I mean, read a newspaper. One as old as last week's should suffice. Also, I think 'little girl' is an appropriate nickname for you."

She huffs impatiently. "Couldn't you just tell me?"

"I could, but you might not think I'm so _nice_ afterward. I don't want to be there for the reaction." Tahno gazes down at his food.

She frowns. "I don't really see why _you _can't just tell me. Nothing is so bad, surely."

"I was a cheat, okay? And I was an arrogant jerk, and a womanizer." He tries to look blasé, but she can tell that he is ashamed.

"Well, that's not so bad. That's a suitable description for almost every athlete ever. And besides, you're not that way now."

"Yeah, I only had to lose my bending to become a good person."

"You'll get it back, Tahno," she says softly as she pats his hand. "Korra will find a way, I know that she will."

"I've been to the best healers in this city, Zahra. None of them have been able to do anything."

"Tahno—"

"You know, it's easy for you to sit up here and say, 'It's going to be alright, Tahno,' or 'You're going to get your bending back,'" he bites. "I really don't need or want your sympathy."


	7. Misery Loves Company

_a/n: _Eh, needs more Bolin.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Misery Loves Company**

Zahra returns from her adventure in Republic City to see Korra moping on the steps of the Air Temple.

Pity. That's what _she _had planned to do for the rest of the evening.

The avatar looks up. She tries to smile, but it becomes a grimace instead. "Hi, Zahra. I saw your dad earlier, he's still with Tenzin and Lin."

Zahra nods, but Korra's bad mood is infectious and makes her own even worse. She joins Korra on the steps and props her face up on a fist. "So. You look down."

"Yeah," Korra sighs. "Tomorrow, I'm going to the Sato mansion to visit with friends, but I really don't think I want to go. Especially with Asami there."

"Care to elaborate?" Zahra prompts. "Because I have no idea why you wouldn't want to visit with the daughter of one of the world's most prominent inventors."

Korra leans back and rubs the back of her neck, and informs her friend on the somewhat sordid history of Mako, Bolin, Asami, and herself.

Including the kiss.

Zahra's eyebrows rise when she learns of _that _debacle.

"Bad move, Korra."

"I know that, _now._" Korra waves her arms. "I was just setting myself up to be hurt."

"Yes, and Bolin, as well."

Korra groans, "Yeah, I _know. _In hindsight I wonder how I could've _not _realized that he liked me. It was obvious."

Zahra pats her back consolingly. "It's not your fault. You've been locked up without any friends besides my grandmother and a giant polar bear dog. You haven't had proper social exposure." Korra lifts her index finger and starts to answer—"Our letters don't count, sorry."

"I don't know if that makes me feel better," Korra says dryly. Zahra yawns.

"Gah, Zahra!" Korra exclaims. "I'm so dumb. You've just made a gazillion mile boat trip and you're tired and _I'm _here plaguing you with my petty troubles!"

Zahra laughs and shakes her head. "It wasn't quite a _gazillion _miles..."

Korra chuckles. "So, how was _your _day?"

Zahra rolls her eyes. "Had a run-in with a dopey Equalist protester. I do wish I could've bent my _fist _into his _face. _Met Tahno of the Wolfbats, too. He's a pretty bitter fellow, I must say."

"Yeah, well, he's been through a lot."

"That's true." Zahra yawns and stands. "Well, I have to write some notes to help Dad draft his speech for the press conference tomorrow. If I get enough sleep tonight, I might just join you at the Sato mansion, eh?"

"Yes," Korra nods fervently. "That'd be great."


	8. It's All Good II

_a/n: _Just to be clear, this takes place during the night after the day in the last chapter. I've already warned you about how screwy I've made the timeline (because plain old linear timelines are _boring_), and just as another warning, it's going to get a little bumpier from here.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**It's All Good Pt. 2**

In a new makeshift study, courtesy Pema, Zahra is slumped over a desk. Her head is buried in a pile of newspapers; several of them are stuck to her face.

She's been poring through the past few months' news, taking notes about the Equalist movement and the growing tensions between benders and non-benders.

The room's doors slowly slide open. "Commander Bumi?" a burly, green-eyed young man enters timidly, "Master Tenzin said you'd be in here…"

Zahra starts. She jumps awake, an errant piece of newspaper slowly peeling from her face. "Huh—who—_what?"_

"Commander Bumi, you're a_ woman_?" the boy asks, wide eyed. "Not that that's like a _problem _or anything. It's great, actually! Equal opportunity!"

Zahra squints her eyes groggily and shakes her head. "_I'm _not the commander…"

The boy looks hopelessly confused. "Then, who _are _you?"

Still only half-awake, Zahra sits up, the newspaper hanging on for dear life on her face. "I'm the commander's _daughter."_

"Oh!" exclaims the boy. "I'm sorry. Master Tenzin told me that your dad would be in here. Er, um, just what _are _you doing in here?"

"My dad's job," replies Zahra tersely. "He has a press conference tomorr—er, wait. Who are you?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that," the young man replies, popping his collar. "I'm Bolin. Korra and my brother and I were the Fire Ferrets."

"Oh!" Zahra is almost truly awake now. She begins sorting through the papers on the desk. "I—just read an article about you, it's around here somewhere…"

Bolin walks closer, leaning in and lifting a finger. "I think it's the one on your face."

"Huh?" Zahra's eyes widen as she peels the black and white sheet from her face. "Huh." _When'd _that _get there? _

Bolin chuckles, his green eyes bright. "Yep. This one's about me. And, heh, look at that, my picture's on your cheek."

"That's embarrassing," Zahra sighs as she fruitlessly attempts to rub off the ink.

Bolin grins and turns to exit. "No," he says. "It's not. I look good on you."

As soon as the doors slide back close Zahra collapses back onto the desk, scrunches her eyebrows, and contemplates the state of her sanity.

_Did that _actually _just happen?_


	9. Family Portrait

a/n: So this one is set _waaay_ ahead of the others. If you tilt your head a lil' bit, you'll spot a little romance going on between our protagonist and Bolin.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Family Portrait**

_Everything's fine,_ Bumi tells himself as he briskly walks down the open-air corridors. However, things are in fact _not _fine.

Today is his wife's birthday, but she's not present to celebrate.

He reaches his destination. There, in front of Yue Bay, sits his daughter, swinging her legs.

Her face is solemn and somber. He recalls that she and her mother used to feed the turtle-ducks together at the pond in the Fire Palace's courtyard.

He ambles over and plops down next to her. Her eyes are trained on the water.

"Hi."

"Hi."

Silently, they sit at the pond, staring at the water for hours. Occasionally, they reminisce about the "good days" back when their family portrait was whole.

…

Asami and Zahra sit on the west wall of the air temple.

The sky is a vast array of pink, orange, and purple hues as the sun makes its descent.

"Wow," breathes Zahra. "This is truly beautiful." Her face barely hints of the tears that marred it earlier when Asami had come to check on her after dinner.

"Yeah," sighs Asami, slightly sitting up. "I thought it might cheer you up a little. I don't know why, but sunsets always make me feel a bit better when I think of my mother."

Zahra smiles sadly. "That's really nice of you. Thank you, Asami."

"Well," Asami replies, grinning, "You know, we non-benders have to stick together."

The girls sit there for an hour or two after the sun has set, sharing stories about their mothers.

Suddenly, Pabu bounds up to the girls, making a place in Zahra's lap. She tweaks him behind the ears in greeting.

"Hey—Zahra? Asami?" Never one to be far away from his fire ferret, Bolin looks around until finally seeing the girls. "What are you two doing out here? It's late."

"Actually," Asami makes a show of yawning and stretching, "I was just about to leave. Good that you came here, Bolin; Zahra won't be alone as she stargazes."

Zahra tilts her head. _What is she _up_ to?_

She and Bolin watch as Asami saunters into the temple. Bolin shrugs and sits next to Zahra. "Stargazing, huh?"

Zahra shrugs, swings her arms around her knees, and hugs them to her chest. Pabu scurries to Bolin. "So, what brings you here, Bolin?"

"Looking for you, of course," Bolin replies. "And Asami, too," he amends. "You didn't look so great at dinner. You looked sad. You still look sad. What's wrong?" There is concern written all over his face.

There is a lapse before she answers.

"Today's my mother's birthday," she finally murmurs.

"Ah," Bolin replies softly, sadly. "How long has it been?"

"Six years,"

He nods and says nothing as he places an arm around her shoulder and they settle in to gaze at the stars and the moon.


	10. Free Press I

_a/n: _Hey guys! Sorry that it's been a little while. I leave for college soon and things are busy, busy, busy!

_Shaken and Stirred _

**Free Press Pt.1**

_He's doing great. He even memorized the index cards I put out for him! I'm so proud. _

During the press conference, Zahra stands a few feet behind her father, who stands at the podium overlooking a large crowd. Her curly black hair has been painstakingly tied into a braided bun and she's wearing fancy, ruby red, Fire Nation nobility robes. Cameras are flashing and people are listening closely.

She bites back a grin as her father expands on one of the ideas she'd written about in her notes the night before. Then, he steps back from the podium and gestures for her to come up.

From behind, Tenzin nudges her forward. She raises a brow at him.

_Just _what _do you think you're _doing, _Dad?_

Despite her trepidation, she walks to stand next to her father, who introduces her as his valued assistant and secretary. He says that she will be as instrumental to and prominent in the countermovement as he will.

_What?_

There are more camera flashes and many reporters begin speaking at once.

Zahra is sure she hears someone exclaim 'But she's only a little girl!'

She scowls. _I've had just about enough of _that _particular dig..._

Bumi waves down the noise and says, "Today, she will only answer one question."

A journalist from one of the more eminent news agencies is chosen. She clears her throat and asks, "Would you give us a statement on your stance on the rising Equalist movement and its leader Amon?"

Zahra takes a few seconds to think, and then, with only a slight tremor in her voice, begins:

"The Equalist movement is a threat to everyone in Republic City, not just benders. Amon's version of 'equality' is not truly equality. His platform is riddles with lies and inconsistencies. Amon says that bending has been the cause of every war, for example, and that is untrue. Wars have been waged since the dawn of human history, even before our ancestors managed to master the art of bending. To think that the end of bending will solve _anything_ is to be sorely mistaken..."

...

After she finishes, and she realizes that she's practically rambled out a speech just to answer _one _question, there are cheers—and jeers, of course—but the cheers outweigh the jeers.

_I was good? I _was _good!_

…

"Yes, but I would've been better if you'd _told _me _beforehand _that you were going to throw me to the media boar-sharks."


	11. Common Ground I

_a/n: _I'm not even quite sure what this is yet…But you just gotta deal with it, peeps. Read and review, please. **Edit**: Oh my god, you guys. I spelled Tarrlok wrong and it bothers the hell out of me.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Common Ground Pt.1**

Tenzin frowns as he watches his two youngest children interact with his brother. If Bumi weren't a few feet taller, Tenzin would've been hard-pressed to identify which one of the three was oldest.

He can scarcely believe _he _is this man's younger brother.

_Lin is mad for suggesting this._

Tenzin becomes lost in his thoughts, and doesn't notice Bumi approaching him.

"_Hello_, little brother," he says, three centimeters away from Tenzin's ear. Tenzin jumps and almost airbends him into a wall.

…

"Bumi, would you please _stop_ flirting with the chief of police? We have urgent business to discuss."

Bumi pauses stroking Lin's hands and leans in to whisper, intentionally loudly, "Lin, I believe my dear brother Tenzin is jealous."

Tenzin's face adopts a most unflattering shade of puce.

…

Korra and Pema sit on a futon, watching Tenzin and Bumi exchange petty insults back and forth.

"You are an incorrigible, immature, pitiful excuse for a commander!" Tenzin shouts.

"Tell that to my decorations!" Bumi booms in response.

"Immature, inconsiderate, _lazy—"_

"At least _I _don't have a stick up my rear end!"

It's like a tennis match.

After ten minutes, Korra throws up a hand and says, "Pause!" Three pairs of confused eyes peer at her. She gets up and walks out of the parlor, into the kitchen. She reemerges with a bowl of dried sea prunes. After sitting down again, she says, "Okay, guys. Resume."

Both men find that they have nothing more to say.

…

Zahra walks into the study to find her father and uncle glaring at each other icily, not saying anything.

"The two of you are depressingly immature."

She shakes her head and walks out.

…

Zahra and Lin sit in Lin's study, drinking tea.

"And then he says, 'Well, Mother likes _me _better,'" grumbles Zahra.

Lin barks a laugh as she takes a sip of tea. "They've always been like that, you know. Constantly bickering. It's quite amusing, really."

Zahra drains her tea. "Yes, it is, but if we ever hope to get anything _done, _we have to…to do _something._"

Lin nods. "They need common ground. Something that they equally like or dislike."

Zahra rolls her eyes. "Well, then we're definitely hopeless. The only reason Dad's even _here _is because of the Equalists! You'd think that'd be enough of a common cause, but of course, we're not getting—"

The door bangs open and the tall and evidently infuriated Councilman Tarrlok barges in.

"We need to _talk_." he bites out. Lin and Zahra share a look. Tarrlok becomes all the more enraged when he notices that the two are essentially ignoring him.

Not some_thing _they equally dislike. Some_one. _

_Because you've got to think _outside _of the box!_

"Wait," realizes Lin, "How-why the _hell _are you in my house?"


	12. Charmed

_a/n: _So as I write this, I'm realizing that I'm not Mako's biggest fan. He's sort of a jerk sometimes. If that's, you know, _new _or anything…But really, he's a good guy in the end. I just have my issues, I guess.

Also, just for clarity, this is set before Zahra knife-bends Mako into a wall, and after Zahra makes her speech. Korra whisked her away after the press conference.

_Shaken and Stirred_

**Charmed**

"Avatar Korra and her associate, Miss Zahra, of the Fire Nation, have arrived," announces the neatly trimmed butler after he escorts the two girls to the pool where Asami, Mako, and Bolin are.

"Is that all I am to you, Korra?" Zahra stage whispers, poking the avatar's shoulder, "an associate?"

"Right now, you're a security blanket," mumbles Korra, before moving to introduce the new addition. "Guys," she says, gruffly grabbing Zahra by the shoulders and moving her in front of her, rather like a shield, Zahra notes, "This is Zahra. She's Commander Bumi's daughter and—"

"Hey! It's you!" exclaims Bolin, hastily exiting the pool, dripping wet, beaming at Zahra. "Nice to meet you, _again."_

"Charmed, Bolin." She responds dryly. "You're soaked," she observes, and as he approaches her, she slowly backs away. "I can't get these robes wet, sorry."

Bolin pouts. Mako—whom she still hasn't formally met yet—scowls at what he perceives to be snobbery and Asami nods at her sympathetically.

Korra slaps her forehead. "Duh! Sorry I didn't give you a chance to change out of your fancy clothes before we left."

Zahra chuckles. "No, it's fine. I'm just glad you rescued me from Tarrlok."

Bolin perks up a bit, "Tarrlok, huh? Seems like he's got a thing for harassing little girls. First Korra, now—"

Korra and Zahra both look at him sharply. "Little girls?"

Bolin quickly backtracks. "Um, I meant big girls! Like, you guys are _really, really, big. _But not like _fat_ big. Big like independent big."

Korra bursts out laughing and Zahra, though smiling, lets out an exasperated huff. "So, er, anyway…" she glances at Asami and Mako, who are still in the pool. "Asami Sato—Heiress of Future Industries! We use your inventions a lot in the Fire Nation. And Mako. It's nice to meet you all. Korra's told me _so _much about you…"

Bolin tilts his head suspiciously for a moment, wonders _what exactly _Korra has told her about them, but decides that if it matters, he'll find out sooner or later.

"It's nice to meet you too, Zahra," Asami smiles graciously.

"Yeah," says Mako, "_Charmed._"

Zahra ignores his less-than-subtle bite at her somewhat posh manners—how can she help it? It's how she was raised!—and returns Asami's smile.

Really, she'd expected _Asami _to be a bit mean, based on Korra's assessment. Of course, Korra is a little biased because of her feelings for Mako, which in Zahra's opinion are _completely baffling. _

_What does she see in this guy?_


	13. It's All Good III

_a/n: _This one is reeeeeally short, sorry guys! But oh-the foreshadowing! I literally heard "dun dun _dunnn" _in my head as I typed this.

_Shaken and Stirred _

**It's All Good Pt. 3**

Amon stands in the dimly lit chamber. The wireless has just finished broadcasting the latest news conference.

So, Councilman Tenzin has pleaded for his big brother's assistance. How…quaint.

The Lieutenant regards him. "What would you make of this, sir?"

Amon tilts his chin upwards. "I do believe," he starts, his voice deep, dark, and airy, "that Councilman Tenzin and Chief Bei Fong have gotten desperate."

"The Commander Bumi is ridiculous. No one will ever rally behind him. But I don't quite know what to think of that girl," the Lieutenant admits. "I don't know, but I think she might pose an actual threat."

"No threat that a small change in plans can't handle," replies Amon.

There were so many methods to choose from, but Amon finds that he appreciates intimidation the most.

It worked on the avatar, after all.

Now, it is only a matter of _when. _


End file.
